Replacing gutters at the Haines Sheldon Museum revealed 30 years of water damage to accessory walls, inches from the building’s main structure.
Museum director Helen Alten said a crew worked to replace the museum’s roof and gutters last week and found heavily rotted wood.
“The gutter water for 30 years went into the walls and rotted them out,” Alten said. The stone wall across from the museum’s front door was only a stone façade. The wood inside that supported the awning over the walkway was almost completely gone, Alten said.
In another short wall facing the water, bugs were found headed toward the main building.
“If we had waited another couple of years, rot would have gotten into the main structure,” Alten said. The museum’s collections were not affected.
To prevent further damage, Alten said the museum will get new siding. The crew also plans to rebuild the old stone wall as a wood wall with picture windows to protect from wind and make the museum entrance more attractive.